author(s)
Tank PR, Vadher KH and Patel MP

abstract
The research work was carried out at Fisheries Research Station, Junagadh Agril. University, Okha port, Gujarat during May 2016 to October 2016 with the aim to isolate potential probiotic bacterial strains from the digestive tract of white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), and to carry out in vitro anti-vibrio activity of the isolates and Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis. Total ten putative bacterial strains were isolated and partially identified as Lactobacillus spp. based on microscopic observation and morphological characters. Among the isolates two strains showed comparatively higher anti-vibrio activity while L. plantarum and B. subtilis showed strong antibacterial activity against Vibrio harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. Gut isolate PRT3 created maximum inhibition zone of 11.33 + 1.53 mm against V. harveyi and V. parahaemolyticus, PRT7 created maximum inhibition zone of 10.67 + 1.53 mm against V. parahaemolyticus followed by 10.33 + 1.53 mm against V. harveyi. L. plantarum created highest inhibition zone of 14.67 + 1.16 mm and 14.67 + 0.58 mm against V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus respectively. B. subtilis created maximum inhibition zone of 13.00 + 1.00 mm against V. harveyi and V. parahaemolyticus. L. plantarum have better potential for use as a probiotic in aquaculture as an anti-Vibrio agent.